This document discusses the composition and types of white blood cells (leukocytes). It explains that leukocytes are formed partially in the bone marrow and lymph tissue and transported via blood to different parts of the body. There are two main types of leukocytes - granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils) and agranulocytes (lymphocytes, monocytes). The document provides details on the characteristics, functions and life spans of these different types of white blood cells. It emphasizes that leukocytes are mobile defensive cells that play an important role in the body's immune system.

1. Dr. Ambika Jawalkar

2. COMPOSITION OF BLOOD
 The circulating blood is composed of
plasma and cells.
 The cells are red cells (or erythrocytes),
white cells (or leukocytes) and platelets.

3. LEUKOCYTES

4. GENERAL FEATURES OF
LEUKOCYTES

5.  mobile units of the body’s protective
system
 formed partially in the bone marrow and
partially in the lymph tissue
 transported in the blood to different parts
of the body where they are needed
 have a special ability to “seek out and
destroy” a foreign invader

8. TYPES OF WBC
 Granulocytes
Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Basophils
 Agranulocytes
Lymphocytes
Monocytes

10. LEUCOPOIESIS
(GENESIS OF WBC)

12. SITES OF HAEMOPOIESIS
 Yolk sac
 Liver and spleen
 Bone marrow
 Gradual
replacement of
active (red)
marrow by inactive
(fatty) tissue
 Expansion can
occur during
increased need for
cell production

13. LIFE SPAN
 Granulocytes – 4 to 8 hours in circulation
and another 4 to 5 days in tissues where
they are needed.
 Monocytes have a transit time of 10 to 20
hours in circulation and once enter the
tissues they transform into tissue
macrophages and can live for months
 Lymphocytes can live for weeks to
months when they are continually
circulate through lymph nodes and other
lymphatic tissue

14.  The adult
human being
has about
4000 – 11,000
white blood
cells per
microliter of
blood

15. NEUTROPHIL
 Neutral loving
 Nucleus has 2-5 lobes connected by thin
strands of nuclear material
 Often called polymorphoneuclear
leukocyes (PMNs)
 Azurophilic granules
 Participate in cellular immunity
through phagocytosis

16. EOSINOPHIL
 Eosin- loving
 Bilobed nucleus
 Contain large coarse orange-red granules
 Involved in allergic reactions and
parasitic infestations

17. BASOPHIL
 Basic- loving
 Nucleus has two lobes
 Blue - purple colored granules that
obscure the nucleus
 Involved in hypersensitivity
reactions

18. LYMPHOCYTE
 Dark colored round or slightly intended
nucleus
 Rim of cytoplasm
 Large lymphocytes (10-14 μ)
 Small lymphocytes (6-9 μ)
 Involed in production of
antibodies

19. MONOCYTE
 Largest blood cell (12-20μ )
 Has kidney shaped or horse-shoe shaped
nucleus
 Cytoplasm is blue-grey and has foamy
appearance
 Migrate to tissues and transform
into macrophages
 Involved in phagocytosis,
& antigen processing

20. REVIEW

21. REVIEW

22. WHY TO KNOW ABOUT
LEUKOCYTES ?

24. WHAT NEXT ???
IMMUNITY
 Immunity is the body’s ability to resist or
eliminate potentially harmful foreign
materials or abnormal cells.
 Leukocytes and their derivatives, along with
a variety of plasma proteins, make up the
immune system, an internal defense system
that recognizes and either destroys or
neutralizes materials within the body that are
foreign to the “normal self.”